Spinner drive means for a ratchet wrench



May 2, 1961 R. T. LITTLE SPINNER DRIVE MEANS FOR A RATCHET WRENCH Filed Nov. 1, 1957 WITNESS:

ATTQBNEY U iwd Stew ly'v 2,982,160 SPINNER nmvn MEANS son A RATCHET WRENCH RobertiT. Little. 2, Hors'eheads, N.Y., assignor of one-half to Richard C. Little, Horseheads, N.Y.

Filed Nov. 1, 1957, Ser. No. 93,9 41,

' a Clairns. f't'cil. 81-60) mounted and connected to the handle by some form of ratchet or ovfrrunning clutch. Since the clutch must be capable of transmitting the maximum torque which the operator can exert by means of the handle, the pawl and ratchet or equivalent mechanism must be of sturdy construction with a spring sufi'iciently strong to insure prompt and full engagement of the pawl with the ratchet. This necessarily causes the clutch to oppose considerable resistance to overrunning, which is sometimes a distinct disadvantage.

Thus, in starting a nut on a bolt or a stud in a threaded opening, the nut or stud may be finger tight-that is it maybe tightened as much as can be conveniently accomplished by hand-while it still may not have sufficient resistance to unscrewing to operate the ratchet of the wrench. Att mpts to use the ratchet wrench to continue the tightening up of the element are therefore abortive until after the nut has been further tightened by some other form of wrench or pliers.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel ratchet wrench having manually operative means for preventing the coupling member of the wrench from moving with the handle on its backward or idle stroke, or for rotating said coupling member in the handle in the desired forward direction while connected to the element to be tightened.

It is another object to provide such a device in which said rotating means is arranged for convenient digital manipulation by the hand which grasps the handle of the wrench.

It is another object to provide such a device which may be used equally well by either hand of the operator.

It is another object to provide such a device which may be incorporated as a separate attachment applicable to the coupling member of the wrench.

It is another object to provide such a device which when so made separable may be used as a preliminary starting and rapid initial tightening means for a threaded element.

Further obj cts and advantages will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a ratchet wrench with a connecting and rotating element formed as a separable member in accordance with the present invention, andshown in disassembled relation.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the rotating and connecting member alone, shown in inverted position; and Fig. 3 is a top view of the end of the wrench with the connecting and rotating member applied, and showing how the rotating member is manipulated by the hand of the operator which grasps the wrench.

In Fig. l of the drawing there is illustrated a ratchetwrench of conventional form including a handle indi cated generally by the numeral 1, and having a coupling member 2 rotatably mounted in'one end thereof and controlled by an overrunning clutch, the action of which may be reversed by means of a control lever 3. This structure is conventional, and forms no part in itselfof the? present invention.

.Tl'he couplingmemberlis formed as shown with a projecting stud .of angular conformation which would ordinarily beused to make connection with a wrench socket or the like. According to the present invention a connecting member indicated'generally by numeral 4 is formed with a socket opening 5 conforming to the coupling member 2 of the wrench, and with an angular stud 6 adapted to receive a wrench socket or the like. A disc 7 is fixedly mounted on the member 4 and is provided with a roughened or knurled periphery 8 which, as best shown in Fig. 3, extends radially beyond the outline of the wrench handle 1 whereby it may be conveniently grasped and manipulated by the thumb and forefinger of the operator while he holds the wrench in his hand.

The usual mode of operation of applicants improved wrench is to assemble the connecting and rotating member 4 on the coupling member 2 of the wrench, and then attach a wrench socket, of the proper size for the purpose in view; to the extension 6 of said rotating member. The nut or stud to be operated on may if desired be started in its intended location by hand, or it may be inserted in the wrench socket and the starting accomplish d by rotating the connecting member 4 by hand as above indicated. In either case, the rotation is continued by manipulation of the connecting member 4 until the nut or stud has been tightened to such an extent as to resist unscrewing with a force substantially greater than that required to overcome the resistance to backward rotation of the clutch connection in the ratchet wrench. The tightening process is then completed by oscillation of the handle of the wrench 1 in the usual manner.

It will be understood that in removing a nut or stud, the reverse operation takes place, and the final step, when the nut or stud is too loose to operate the ratchet is again accomplished by the digital rotation of the connecting member 4 by means of its knurled rim 8.

It will be apparent that the operation of the device as above set forth may be varied by mounting the wrench socket on'the connecting inember 4 before the latter is assembled on the wrench 1, and the initial starting and threading of the nut or stud may be done by rotating the connecting member 4 by hand until it is firmly attached, after which the wrench 4 may be applied and operated in the usual manner. On the other hand, the connecting member 4 may be made integral with the coupling member 2 of the wrench 1 if so desired.

Although but one form of the invention has been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that changes may be made in the precise form and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a ratchet wrench having a bandle, a coupling member rotatably mounted in one end of the handle having a portion of angular cross section projecting from one side thereof on an axis perpendicular to the handle, and ratchet means for connecting the coupling member and having a diameter substantially greater then the-width of said handle, said disc being formed with a roughened peripheral surface and being located adjacent the side of the handle from which the coupling member projects, for convenient rotation by the thumb and forefinger of the hand by which the operator grasps the handle.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 in which the con necting member is formed with a socket conforming to the angular projection of the coupling member, and including connecting means for attachment of an element to be rotated.

3. In combination with a ratchet wrench having a handle, a coupling member rotatably mounted in one end of the handle having a portion of angular cross section projecting from one side thereof on an axis perpendicular to the handle, and ratchet means for connecting the coupling member to rotate with the handle around said axis; a digitally operable disc and connecting member non-rotatably connected to the projecting portion of said coupling member and having a diameter at least equal to the width of said handle, said disc being formed with a roughened peripheral surface and being located adjacent the side of the handle from which the coupling member projects, for convenient rotation by the thumb and forefinger of the hand by which the operator grasps the handle.

630,819 1,572,525 Frampton Feb. 9, 1926 1,888,793 Erickson Nov. 22, 1932 

